The Mind Knows Reason, but the Heart Knows Bliss
by l0velyfe
Summary: He laughed. They walked close. When she moved, he moved-like gravity. His face was aglow. "Why do you still long for him?" "He didn't mean to hurt me." She knew the tiny changes in his expression like the back of her hand. To her, he was not so detached.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello readers~! I know it's been FOREVER since I uploaded anything...  
><em>_A lot of shit went down in my life that you all probably don't care about lolol.  
>Basically I started college, my girlfriend of over 3 years cheated on me,<br>I temporarily lost one of my best friends, and I fell in love all over again.  
>That said, I'm doing a lot better and my muse has begun to surface once again!<em>

_This is an UlquiHime fic that has been lingering in my mind for a few months and I've just begun to piece it together.  
>There may be hints of IchiRuki and IchiHime later, but no promises. There definitely will be M rated content later on.<em>

_Enough of this long author's note. This first chapter is just over 1,000 words;  
>just a taste of the story. More of a prologue, really. R&amp;R if you would, please~! <em>

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><p><strong><em>The Mind Knows Reason, <em>****_But the Heart Knows Bliss_**

**_Chapter One_**

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

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><p><em>She was starting to believe his words were true. If he were to rip her chest open, he would see her heart beating. But the heart she had spoken of was not physical. When people spoke of a broken heart, they were still alive. Their heart was still pulsing; it was not broken. But they associated the pain they felt with the organ in their chest. Was it because they felt the most pain there? Because every society's symbol of love is a heart? Inoue knew the pain personally. It resonated throughout her whole body, seemingly drawing its strength from her chest.<em>

_No, she had never been broken up with, nor cheated on. No, she had never had to say goodbye to a family member going across seas to fight for some nameless war. She had never gone hungry, or not had a warm bed to sleep in at night._

_But she had suffered through the loss of a brother. Carried the burden of an unrequited love for many years. Been a burden on her friends from day one, having to rely on them to survive countless times. She had never got the opportunity to say goodbye to her friends before they were lost in the middle of the pointless war waged between shinigami and arrancar. It hadn't been their fight. Even her powers could not bring them back._

_Now all that remained were bits and pieces of each side. Lives lost, innocent blood spilt, hearts broken without their companions. Only crumbled remains, strewn like shards of shattered glass._

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><p>She could still taste the sunglow on her tongue, like a mixture of ginger and vanilla radiating from the counterfeit sun above. Fake or not, it had served the same purpose as home. The gentle breeze had carried the scent of desert and sultriness through her hair and along her skin. She would curl her toes down into warm sand, enjoying the feel of the grains on her tired soles.<p>

Her wispy eyes opened and she stood slowly, savoring the stretch of her limbs. The sun that shone down upon her now was certainly genuine. Soaking in all the ultraviolet rays had done wonders to her pale, weak body. Spending the majority of her time locked up in a cell with blank white walls and the bland, tasteless food she'd been forced to consume had deteriorated her health. Her limited time out of her cell had consisted of testing on her Shun Shun Rikka, leaving her so thoroughly exhausted that she had sometimes stumbled back to her room beneath the silent presence of the Cuarta and collapsed on her bed without devouring the meal that her famished body desperately needed.

It was time to head home. The sun was beginning to drift behind the mountains in the far distance, casting rays of pink, red and orange across the clouds. The gentle breeze tickled her calves as she retreated from the ocean's shore. The beach reminded her of Hueco Mundo. One would think she wouldn't _want _to be reminded of such a place. It wasn't the place she was fond of, really; more so, a select few of its inhabitants.

The sidewalks were quiet. It was late on New Year's Eve. Most were at home with their families or loved ones, drinking wines and ciders and celebrating. Inoue hugged her coat tighter around her frame as she passed by shops closing up for the evening. She was nearly home. A woman passed by her, being pulled along by her dogs on their leashes. A tall man on a cellphone crossed in front of her, heading further into downtown. Inoue turned the corner around a fruit stand and, just like that, there he was.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She raised a hand to wave, opened her mouth to call out to him, but... No.

Her arm slowly fell to hang at her side as she watched him laugh merrily. His arm was slung around the short girl beside him. They walked close; their bodies touched. When she moved, he moved. Like gravity. His face was aglow.

Letting him go had been the hardest thing she'd ever done. She would have given everything to him.

"Why do you still long for him?"

Orihime jumped, startled by the monotonic voice resonating from behind her. Her eyes lingered on the orange-haired shinigami for a few more minutes before she turned around slowly, meeting emerald orbs.

"He rejected you. He scorned your feelings toward him. He discarded you like the weak human you are."

"Kurosaki-kun never meant to hurt me," she murmured, avoiding the arrancar's gaze, hardly believing the words herself.

He was silent for a moment, simply scrutinizing her like he often did. Inoue began to grow self-conscious, like she always did. She and Rangiku had once spoken about her shyness. She was not used to people staring at her. Rangiku said they did stare – only when she wasn't looking. Or, they were too afraid to look altogether. _"That's the responsibility that comes along with being a beauty," _the woman had claimed. Inoue didn't consider herself ugly, but she had never recognized herself as beautiful.

"Would you like something to eat?"

"You know I have no purpose of ingesting food, On'na."

Orihime glanced around to make sure no one was staring at her as if she were insane. Talking to what appeared to be air was something not many sensible people did. "Then just come keep me company. You don't have to eat."

Ulquiorra regarded her with a neutral expression. Orihime knew he was contemplating her offer. Such interpretation came from being around him so often. She knew the tiny changes in his expressions like the back of her own hand. To her, he was not so detached. A small smile formed on her lips. "Please?"

"Your beseeching is not required, On'na," he murmured, blinking jade eyes. "I will accompany you home, but that is it."

Orihime remained silent, turning to walk with him. She could tell by his tone that he would probably change his mind once they arrived at her house. He still felt protective of her; even almost a year after the war had ended.


	2. Chapter 2

_So, this chapter wasn't as long as I planned but I just couldn't wait to upload it.  
>I know things are going slow but they'll speed up soon, I promise.<br>Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed~! _

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><p><em><strong>The Mind Knows Reason, but the Heart Knows Bliss<strong>_

_**Chapter Two**_

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

* * *

><p>The lock clicked loudly in the quiet apartment, white door swinging open to reveal the ginger-haired girl and her companion. She reached to flick the switch up, and light flooded into the joint living room and kitchen.<p>

She had moved, after the war ended. Her old dwelling just reminded her of everything that had happened in her life. She wanted to start fresh. So she and Chad had bought an apartment together. Fortunately, Chad was on vacation with Uryu, so he wouldn't be alarmed that Inoue had brought an Espada home.

Espada; did the word even have any meaning anymore? Cuarta wasn't really a title to be proud of anymore. Aizen was imprisoned for thousands of years, and many other arrancar destroyed. Szayel was the only other Espada whom had escaped the shinigami. No one knew his location; they assumed he had taken on a life somewhere else, perhaps in a gigai, his reiatsu safely out of reach.

Ulquiorra owed his life to her. She smiled faintly; it was strange to think such a thing, but it was true. Where she thought he had been dying, his ashes blowing away in the wind, he was merely fleeing to seek refugee somewhere else. Only in the most desperate of situations would a man like Ulquiorra flee from a battle.

_"Orihime!"_

_She turned from her kneeling place beside Hisagi-san. Ichigo was waving his arms in the distance. She broke into a smile._

_"Go," Rangiku murmured, "I'll finish here."_

_Orihime shot her a thankful glance, then stood and ran to the orange-haired shinigami. She knew he would be okay. Of course he would. He was Ichigo._

_Her feet sank into the sand, but she finally made it to him, throwing her arms around his neck. His strong arms came around her, holding her in a tight embrace for a moment before he pushed her back._

_"You have to see this. C'mon."_

_It couldn't be. Long black hair, wings splayed out on the dunes. Dull black and jade eyes awaiting their fate. Kenpachi's grin was feral as he dragged the tip of his defaced zanpakuto along the fallen arrancar's neck._

_"NO!"_

_She sprang forward, pushing past Kira to fall over him. She spread her arms out, shielding him from the blade. Kenpachi's grin faltered._

_"Move, stupid girl."_

_"Leave him alone!"_

_"On...'na."_

_Immediately his broken voice seized her attention. Grayish-blue met ashen jade._

The chiming of her clock mounted on the wall startled her out of her reverie. She blinked once, turning her head as her body followed. Ulquiorra stood by the couch, silent as ever. His demeanor had prevented him from disturbing her reminiscences. She shook her head slightly, trying to rejoin reality. Jade eyes rose to focus on her, flecks of yellow visible within them. Inoue cleared her throat.

"I-ah... Are you sure you don't want anything?" She moved into the kitchen, her back to him as she opened the refrigerator.

"I have no need to ingest food," he murmured, surveying the papers upon the table before him. White material with lace at the corner stood out to him. He bent slightly to take it in his fingers, eyes scanning the words.

"I know, but I just feel silly eating while you watch me." He heard the tapping of a knife on a wooden cutting board.

"Then I will not watch." Pale fingers folded the paper swiftly across the word _wedding_ and slipped it into his pocket. He didn't wish to spend another evening sitting beside the crying girl. However annoying and naïve, she didn't deserve such grief.

"At least have some tea..."

He raised his eyes to find her standing in the middle of the kitchen, holding two teacups and looking at him. He exhaled through his nose.

"... Tea would be fine."

A small smile turned the corners of her lips upwards and she set both teacups down on the counter, pouring the dark liquid from a kettle taken from the stovetop. She soon joined him in the next room and he took the cup from her small hand. She took a sip of the hot liquid, glancing at him awkwardly.

"You can... Sit down," she murmured, settling upon the couch herself. After a brief hesitation, he was seated. Gray-blue eyes studied the dark-haired man beside her. "H-How are you?"

He didn't look at her. The unwavering compassion she possessed never failed to amaze him. Why, after nearly a year had passed since the war, did she continue to care for the well-being of a former arrancar? He couldn't understand the reason behind it.

"Adequate," he answered shortly, raising the tea to his lips. It was exquisite, as her tea always was.

"Where've you been staying...?"

"Nowhere."

"... But where do you sleep?"

He glanced at her for a short moment. "In my true form, I do not require sleep. If I must, I rent a hotel room for the span of a night."

Initially, she was silent, looking down into her tea. Ulquiorra wasn't the type of man to steal or commit crime, but she couldn't help but wonder where he got the money to rent a hotel room. And how did he even exchange money with a desk clerk when he was virtually invisible to the average human? She blinked.

"You could stay here."

She was bold. He was used to it. When it came to her friends, she had all the courage in the world. Did she consider him as a friend now? He considered this for a moment.

"I am in debt to you already, On'na-"

"Please don't," she was brave enough to interrupt him. He turned his emerald gaze on her. Her soft, small voice didn't match her courageous words. "You don't owe me a thing, Ulquiorra-kun."

A sigh escaped his nose at the friendly name she often used. Even while she was imprisoned in Hueco Mundo like an animal and he was her designated caretaker, she still insisted on using such an informal name.

"Please, stay here. You can use Sado-kun's bed. He'll be away for a while."

He was silent for a moment, and she assumed he was considering her offer. Although she was in-tune with his sentiments most of the time, she couldn't read him now. She expected him to either accept, or deny. He was proud enough to deny. But she believed he cared enough to accept.

"Tell me why you love him."

She certainly hadn't been expecting that. It took her a moment to recover from choking on her tea. He watched with a genuinely curious expression. Although it calmed her to see such an emotion upon his face, she still tripped over her words.

"W-Why, I-I mean, do you want t-to know...?"

He blinked once, lowering his gaze to the coffee table. "You seemed so certain that a 'heart' exists. I wish to try to understand your reasoning better, in order to determine if it exists for myself."

She drew in a deep, shaky breath. "I suppose it starts from knowing someone for a long time. Kurosaki-kun and I have known each other since our first year at Karakura high school." She paused, briefly reliving the first moment she had seen him. It was hard to believe that was three years ago. "Kurosaki-kun strives to protect his friends. He wants to do what's right. He's silly, and he's funny. He's strong." She took a small sip of her tea. "It's hard to explain why you love someone."

"Then how would you know."

It was more of a statement that she could attempt to answer. She glanced at him. "When you're in love, you want the best for that person. You want to be with them, always, and you want to protect them with your life. You would sacrifice anything for them. When you're with them, the world slows down and everything bad goes away for a while." She stood up. "More tea?"

He blinked and handed over his cup, but followed her into the kitchen, hovering nearby as she poured him another cup. "So you love him because of how he cares for others?"

She turned around and held out his cup, which he took without taking his eyes from her face. She nodded slowly, dark lashes hiding expressive eyes. "That is one reason. But I've learned that you should never go against your intuition. If your heart feels it, then follow it. Sometimes it's impossible to describe why or how you love someone. It just happens."

He was quiet as he took in everything she had said. This 'love' still didn't make sense to him, but he had a feeling he would understand it eventually.

* * *

><p>"Is tonight one of the nights you need to sleep?"<p>

The arrancar turned around from his gazing out the window. The city was covered in a thin blanket of snow. The girl looked as if she, too, was covered in snow. The nightgown clinging to her form was thin and a white-cream colour. Lace was attached to the ends of the sleeve, the bottom and the collar. It was, by no means, provocative. It was modest, and comfortable-looking.

He nodded. "Indeed."

The ginger-haired girl hesitated, and then leaned against the wall. "I'm not sure if you sleeping in Sado-kun's bed would be..." She wrinkled her nose. "Well, he's picky about where he sleeps. So I'll just sleep in his room, and you can sleep in mine. If that's alright." She added on the last sentence with a tentative glance up at him. He nodded.

Turning, she led him down the hallway. She pointed at a door, barely cracked open. "That's the bathroom. Do you... Nevermind."

"I expel waste like every human if I ingest food."

She nodded, a light pink dusting her cheeks. "I'll be sleeping in here," she pushed the door open at the end of the hall, "but this is my room." To the very right, the first door. He looked over her shoulder to examine the room. It was quite pink. A large white desk was positioned next to a closet. The bed was rather spacious, with light pink and white blankets upon it. She moved aside to let him step foot inside the room.

"I can give you some other clothes to sleep in."

He shifted his gaze from the interior to her with a small nod. She turned and was gone. Left alone in the bedroom, he wandered over to the desk. A scarf was draped over the back of the chair. He ran his fingers along it, the smooth cotton texture cool to his touch, like her hands had been on his burnt skin.

Orihime had saved him from certain death. This was not a future he would have chosen. True, he had fled from Kurosaki Ichigo in the midst of battle. He had been defeated. After such a downfall, most arrancar would accept death willingly. He did not like to ponder the reason he ran from an adversary. It infuriated him. Perhaps that was why he had been willing to die at the hands of Kenpachi Zaraki.

But no. Orihime had appeared in the final moments of his second life, putting herself between his weakened body and the blade that would have severed his head. She had convinced Yamamoto Genryuusai to allow him to live, and in return, he would not agitate Seireitei. He had no purpose to do so. Without his Lord, his purpose was diminished.

"These are Sado-kun's. They might be a bit big."

The soft-spoken words startled him out of his thoughts. He nearly jumped, but caught himself beforehand. She stood in the doorway, holding what appeared to be a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He crossed the room and took the bundle from her, slinging it over one arm.

"Alright, ah, do you need anything else?"

He shook his head. "You have done enough."

She offered a small smile. "I'll be right in the other room if you do need something." She turned to pad to the door quietly, glancing over her shoulder within the hallway. "Goodnight."

Once her figure had retreated in the dark abyss of the hall, Ulquiorra turned to place the clothes on the bed. He removed his robes and found his way into the clothes she had brought him. They were quite large – as she had presumed – but fit comfortably. He took the hollow-bone half helmet from his head and set it on the desk, then sauntered to the bed. The moment he laid his head down upon the pillow, her scent invaded his nose. It smelt of vanilla and roses.


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm so happy with how this chapter turned out :)  
>Thank you all for reviewing~! I'll address a few of the comments really quick.<br>Orihime and Chad are rooming together, not dating!  
>I cleared up some of the comments about Ulquiorra taking his hollow helmet off.<br>Thank you all again! Enjoy chapter three and review please! xoxo_

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><p><em><strong>The Mind Knows Reason, but the Heart Knows Bliss<strong>_

_**Chapter Three**_

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

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><p>She slept better than she had in days. The nightmares didn't plague her slumber like usual, and she felt refreshed when she woke up to sunlight filtering in through her window. Dust particles coloured the air, caught in the shine. It was quiet. She rolled over onto her back, gazing up at the graying ceiling. Today she had to go to the store. Tomorrow she would have her interview for the café down the street. Sado-kun would come back in thirteen days' time.<p>

Ulquiorra was in the other room. He'd slept in her bed last night. She'd never seen him sleep. Did he have dreams? She pondered the idea for what seemed like a few minutes before sitting up and stretching luxuriously like a smitten puppy. She made her way to the closet, throwing open the white doors and browsing the small selection of clothes she had moved from her bedroom into this room as to not disturb Ulquiorra.

White leggings, a long forest green jacket and matching emerald boots was what lay on the bed five minutes later. She figured she would go to the store and pick up the few things she needed, and perhaps walk through the park. She loved the snow. Wriggling her nightgown up over her head, she tossed it into Sado-kun's laundry basket beside the bed. Cool air drifted over her newly exposed skin, making the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention as she stood in the lacy lavender lingerie set Rangiku had convinced her to buy. She shivered.

"Good morning, On'na."

Startled, she spun around, sending a stack of books upon Chad's dresser tumbling to the floor. Ulquiorra stood in the doorway, still clad in Sado-kun's sweatpants and t-shirt that dipped down below his collarbone. He looked... Human. Orihime squinted, taking notice of his lack of hollow-bone helmet and hollow hole. Before she could ask where they were, it dawned on her that she was only in her underwear.

"O-Oh!" She grabbed a large coat draped over the back of a nearby chair and covered herself with it, cheeks flushing a soft pink.

"Ah," he waved a hand dismissively, "that's right. You find it uncomfortable for other people to see you in such an exposed state." He raised a pale hand to cover his eyes. She couldn't help but giggle at how ridiculous he looked, standing there in sweatpants and a t-shirt, hand over his eyes, hair tousled from his sleep. "I merely came to ask for proper clothes myself."

She laughed again, nervously, and glanced around. "I'll bring some with me after I've changed... If you could wait in the kitchen, please...?"

He turned and walked away without a word, and she slowly took the coat from her body, setting it back on the chair. She gathered up the books then got dressed, mind distant and she pulled silky legging over her skin.

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><p>There was something majestic and delicate about snow. It floated down from the heavens, visible to the naked eye. Glided, unlike rain. And it settled itself upon the ground, covering everything like a blanket. When snow falls, the world seems muted, as if the thickness of the white flakes slows down all sound.<p>

It didn't snow in Hueco Mundo. It never rained, either. Nothing ever congested the stifling air, except beige grains during a sandstorm and blood from disfigured hollows when they pointlessly fought each other in the outskirts of the desert. He had never pondered something as pointless as weather, but now that he put some thought into it, he realized that this was his first sight of snow. In this form, anyway. Surely, he acknowledged, he had most likely seen snow in a previous life. But such details didn't matter now.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She voiced his thoughts, gazing up at the milky sky as they walked. "I love wintertime." He took notice of her vibrantly ginger hair contrasting with her skin, nearly as pastel as the snow itself. Certainly she was not as pale as he. Was his skin tone the same as hers when he was human himself? He dismissed the futile thought.

Because she was admiring the sky above them, she failed to notice the patch of ice in her path. As suddenly as her feet had slipped out from underneath her and a surprised cry spilled from her lips, his hand shot out to grab her arm, breaking her fall and keeping her mostly upright.

"O-Oh..." Obviously embarrassed, she gathered her footing. He released her forearm from his long-fingered grip.

"You need to be more aware of your surroundings, On'na," he murmured – begrudgingly, Orihime thought. She giggled nervously.

"Come on, follow me!"

* * *

><p>"What is the reason for this, exactly?"<p>

She laughed as she rolled a final ball – a head for their snowman. "It's fun! Everyone plays in the snow. See?" She extended a finger, pointing across the frozen meadow where two children were having a snowball fight. Ulquiorra observed them for a moment before returning his attention to the nearly finished snowman.

"There!" Orihime stuck two small branches from a nearby cherry tree into the sides of the figure to resemble arms. Two buttons produced from her pockets represented eyes, and a third, smaller twig shaped the smiling mouth.

"Now what?"

"Now we leave him here for other people to admire!"

Her reasoning made no sense to him, but he followed her down the path nonetheless. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket, taking notice of how the cold was affecting this body.

"Ulquiorra-kun?" He glanced sideways at the girl. "Where did your hollow hole go?"

"This is a false body, On'na. A gigai," he murmured.

"Oh." She was quiet for a minute, wondering where he'd gotten such a thing. Then she wrinkled her nose. "That's why the man at the crosswalk could see you."

"Indeed."

"Where did you get it?"

"Aizen-sama had them made for all Espada, for the purpose of missions to the Living world." They were approaching a market.

"I just need to grab a few things." She hurried through the automatic doors. "Be right back!"

Left alone on the sidewalk beside the thrift store, Ulquiorra's gaze swept across the snowy streets. Three children scurried down the sidewalk opposite him, yelling to each other. A blonde woman with an azure coat walked in front of him. Familiar orange hair caught and held his attention.

Ulquiorra was both amused and apprehensive to be in the immediate vicinity of the teen that had singlehandedly defeated Lord Aizen. The boy who defeated _him_. The mere human who captured every inch of Orihime's attention.

Accompanying him was the small shinigami girl – Kuchiki Rukia. Kurosaki's arm was slung around her slim shoulders as they walked down the sidewalk, displaying obvious affection. Ulquiorra stood, hands in pockets, wondering what the consequences of the boy noticing him would be. Orihime had told him that Kurosaki lost his shinigami ability after defeating Lord Aizen. Ulquiorra was still very much an Espada. Kurosaki leaned over and kissed the girl's hair. She laughed.

"I'm back!"

Orihime rushed up to Ulquiorra's side, a grocery bag in her right hand. After a brief hesitation, Ulquiorra turned to look at her with preoccupied jade eyes. Her brow furrowed. What had been holding his attention so intently? She peered around his body across the road to see.

Her heart skipped two beats at the familiar figures. His arms were wrapped around her securely; the way Orihime had imagined they would one day be wrapped around her. She could hear Rukia's giggling from where she stood. Ichigo's face was buried in the girl's dark hair contently.

Two cold fingers were on her chin, gently turning her head. Distracted, she reluctantly drew her gaze away from the happy couple... To become lost in two seas of emerald. He was so _close._ She could feel his warm breath on her face. What on earth was he doing? A contrasting combination of nervousness and excitement bubbled up within her, and confusion washed over her mind.

And the she realized he was coming even closer. Her breath hitched, eyes slipping closed on instinct. A cool nose brushed hers before equally cool lips touched her own. It was soft, their lips molding together for a few seconds of questionable passion. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, he was gone. Her eyes fluttered open, and she felt his long fingers slip into hers. Dumbfounded, she followed as he led her away from the store.

"Orihime...?"

She looked over her shoulder, eyes falling upon a shocked Rukia and an equally stunned – and perhaps outraged – Ichigo. They had both seen. Still in a daze, Orihime couldn't find her voice to call out to him before she and Ulquiorra disappeared around the corner.

They took the route through the park, backtracking themselves. The snowman stood beside the path. Her hand was still trapped by his fingers, as if he was concerned she would turn and run back to Kurosaki-kun if he let go. Where had Ulquiorra learned to kiss, if he wasn't concerned with romance at all?

By the time they had reached the corner across from her apartment, she had worked up the courage to speak to him.

"U-Ulquiorra-kun...?"

"Hm?" He didn't look at her as they crossed the street.

"What was _that_...?"

He halted in front of the apartment door, simply glancing back at her. Evidently, she wasn't going to get an answer. That was so like him. Slightly irritated, she fished for her keys in her bag and unlocked the door. He shut it behind her as she dropped the bag of groceries on the counter.

"You deserve more than he has to offer."

Blue-gray eyes rose at his blunt statement. She 'deserved more'? As far as she knew, Ulquiorra had never regarded her as anything more than a measly human. She was a convenient resource to him and Aizen; nothing more. Her questioning gaze must have prompted him to say more, because he continued.

"Kurosaki Ichigo may have been quite powerful at one point. But now, he is nothing. He cannot protect you anymore." He turned emerald eyes on her. "You spoke of love earlier. You told me it is represented by four principles. Kurosaki is willing to provide you with merely one of these elements; protection. And, as I said before and as you know, he is powerless now. If such emotions are not reciprocated, then love cannot exist, correct?"

She looked down at the milk on the counter in front of her. Ulquiorra was right. He was oh-so-right. But she didn't want him to be.

When she said nothing, he approached the counter, standing on the side opposite of her. "It is a waste of your life to chase something that is running from you, On'na."

* * *

><p>The shrill ring of the telephone startled Orihime out of her concentration on the page before her eyes. Marking her place, she set the book down on the table and glanced down the hallway. She could still hear the rush of water coming from the shower. She found it both amusing and strange that Ulquiorra had never taken a shower before. His arrancar body didn't age; didn't sweat. But his gigai was functional, just like a human body, and Ulquiorra obviously wasn't used to it. Orihime reached for the phone.<p>

"Hello?"

"Orihime-san! Oh, you must be so upset!"

The voice was achingly familiar. Orihime blinked, hugging her knees to her body with her free arm. "Tatsuki-chan! ...What?"

"You didn't get the invitation? Ichigo said he sent one to you. I punched him for it, ha! He's such a dumbass."

"What invitation, Tatsuki-chan?"

"Their wedding. Ichigo and Rukia."

Her eyes grew wide. Stunned into silence for a long moment, she dully acknowledged the shower water turning off down the hall. "Orihime?"

"M-Married...?" Her voice was small. She must have misheard Tatsuki.

"Yeah... I'm sorry, Orihime."

She covered her mouth with one hand, blinking back tears. Somehow, she managed to find her voice. "I... I'll talk to you later, Tatsuki-chan..." Before her friend could protest, Orihime hung up. The phone slipped from her hand, bouncing on the couch beside her hip.

So this was it. He was going to spend the rest of his life with _her_. Rukia knew how she felt about Ichigo. She had always known. Had this been her plan all along? Orihime was afraid the ceiling was going to tumble down upon her. The man she loved was marrying another woman. Did she have any say in this? Could she protest? Would he even listen? She felt desperation. Despair. Panic, all threatening to overwhelm her.

"On'na?"

Ulquiorra stood beside the couch, dressed in the clothes she had given him earlier. She could feel him there, watching her. But she couldn't look at him. What was she going to do? What _could_ she do? What would happen to her without him? She had built and centered her life around him for the past six years. How could she go on without the hope of him reciprocating her love one day? Without him, who was she?

"On'na."

She struggled to focus her gaze on the face in front of hers. He recognized the look of hysteria beginning to take over her features. "Sleep will do you good. Come." He gripped her elbows to steady her and stood her up. Halfway down the hallway, she struggled out of his grip to race into the bathroom. He could hear her retching into the toilet. A brief silence followed, then a flushing sound. She appeared in the doorway, looking positively ill. Her skin was pale, eyes dulling. Wordlessly, he took her arm again and led her to her own bedroom. He would not need it for tonight.

He pulled the blanket over her trembling figure once she was lying down. Her chest heaved with unsteady breaths. He felt... Something similar to what he deemed to be concern. Shaking it off, he turned to leave her be.

"N-No...!"

He glanced back. "Would you like me to stay?" A small nod came in response. He moved to be seated on the bed beside her. She reached for and wouldn't let go of his arm, almost as if she feared he would leave if she did not have a grip on him. Silently, he sat in the dark, listening to her soft sobs. Something inside him stirred.

Perhaps it was feral. Instinctive. He had once overheard Aizen-sama and Ichimaru-sama conversing about the instincts of arrancar. They were, after all, animals. Aizen-sama had suggested that arrancar possessed the same instincts that many other animals do. The instinct to protect their mate, simply so that their young could survive. Of course, Aizen-sama didn't mention anything about love or marriage. Simply protection, so reproduction could take place. And the urge to protect was the only thing Ulquiorra could distinguish out of all the confusion his mind was experiencing.

"Remember what I said, On'na."

He looked at her, but she had finally fallen asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_Argh this chapter is so short and I'm sorry, but I really wanted to get it uploaded.  
>It also wouldn't have made sense to start the next sequence in this chapter.<br>It just needed to be cut here.  
>Anyway, enjoy! Some shit goes down in this chapter!<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>The Mind Knows Reason, but the Heart Knows Bliss<em>**

**_Chapter Four_**

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

* * *

><p>She awoke to the gentle tapping of raindrops upon the windowpane. Other than the soft sound, it was quiet within the room. Her body felt stiff. Dried tearstains traced down her cheeks, similar to the cyan marks on Ulquiorra's face.<p>

Ulquiorra. Where was he? Opening her eyes slowly, she gazed up at the familiar paper lantern dangling from her ceiling. She felt, rather than heard the slow breathing beside her. She turned her head. His moss-green eyes were watching her.

"Until now, I have yet to have the opportunity to observe a human sleeping," he murmured. "It is intriguing."

"Did you sleep too?"

He shifted, gazing up at the ceiling. "Oddly enough, I did. It appears this body requires more rest than I anticipated."

She blinked, eyes looking right through him. Tatsuki had told her over the phone last night. She had cried herself to sleep. She really couldn't remember anything other than that. Had he stayed here, all night with her?

"Do you remember?" His voice was a soft murmur. She nodded, looking away.

"They're in love. They're getting married."

"Do marriage and love go hand-in-hand?"

Orihime sighed, sitting up and moving over to her dresser. Was he so oblivious to her obvious distress? "Not always. They're supposed to." He was silent. "What time is it?"

"Nine thirty in the morning."

"Oh no!" She began sorting through her clothes frantically. "I have an interview today!"

He watched her choose an outfit, speaking only when she turned to face him. "Are you certain it is a good idea to go, in the state you're currently in?"

"Ulquiorra, you don't understand," she murmured, looking for her snow boots. "As soon as I turn eighteen, my aunt won't send me financial support anymore. I need to get a job, and interviews are hard to come by." She stared at him for a moment before he stood to give her some privacy. Silently, he exited, and she undressed to step into the steaming shower.

Droplets of water traced down her body, hugging ever curve. She felt his fingers on her chin again. The pressure of his lips against hers. She closed her eyes. Usually, such thoughts would be about _him_. The variety was nice – she was glad, in a sense – especially knowing what she knew about Ichigo now. But, she couldn't help questioning it. Her mind was attempting to reason, while her heart was searching for bliss. And she wouldn't go against her heart. It was a vow she'd made to herself long ago.

She had always found herself imagining the droplets to be Ichigo's fingers. But now, she was different. She no longer had a one-track mind. What if they were Ulquiorra's? She shut her eyes, stepping completely into the spray.

A man of Ulquiorra's stature would never engage in such things.

* * *

><p>"Hello, are you Inoue?"<p>

She smiled and nodded, stomping the snow from her boots onto the floor mat. "Yes, hello!"

"Glad you could make it! This way, one of our managers is waiting for you in the back." Orihime glanced out the window where Ulquiorra stood on the sidewalk. His eyes were on her. He was... He was _smiling_.

Not quite a grin, but the slightest hint of a reassuring smile in his eyes that didn't reach his lips. She stared – so intently, that she didn't break out of the trance until the woman tapped her on the arm.

"Wha-, huh?"

"... This way, please."

Orihime followed, clutching her bag to her chest. Giving the impression that she was an airhead wasn't really the best way to start an interview.

* * *

><p>"Do you have any experience as a waitress?"<p>

Orihime shook her head, perched in the cushy chair of the back office. The manager was Tomas – a tall man with dark brunette hair. He was young; younger than she would have expected a manager to be. He had a friendly aura though, which made her feel more comfortable. "Well, you certainly have the right look. Thin, beautiful." Orihime felt herself flush. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen. Eighteen in two months."

"Excellent." He shuffled his papers. "I must let you know that the position open now is Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, from 6:30 to closing time at 11:00. You're in school still, yes?"

"No, sir."

"Ah." He raised his eyes. "Well, you'll be able to stay late, then. Very good. How will you be getting here?"

"I live right down the street."

"Forgive me if this seems intrusive, but... By yourself?"

She recognized his look, and lowered her gaze to her lap. "My father was a drunk. My brother took me away when I was very young. He died about eight years ago. But I live with, ah... Two friends."

"Do you have any relatives at all?"

"I don't know if my mother and father are still alive. But I have my aunt." Orihime met his eyes, a somber look upon her face. "She sends me financial support."

"Ah, but once you turn eighteen, that support will stop." Orihime nodded; embarrassed that he had figured her out so quickly. "Well, Orihime-san," he stood, "go see Hitomi and get your uniform. You start on Wednesday."

Orihime stared for a moment, and then broke into a smile. "Really...?"

Tomas returned her smile. "Really."

Ulquiorra had moved into the café, finding that the prolonged exposure to the chilled winter air caused his body to shiver. Becoming used to all the needs of this gigai was going to take some time.

The door to the back room swung open, and he caught a glimpse of ginger hair before she unexpectedly threw her arms around his neck. "I got it! He hired me!"

His instincts drove his actions before his mind could reason, and his arms came around her midsection lightly. After a moment, Orihime seemed to realize her mistake and stepped back from him, rubbing the back of her neck. His arms fell from her, and she giggled nervously. "Sorry. I'm just excited."

"I see," Ulquiorra murmured. For some odd reason, her joy triggered some sort of elation within him as well.

"Orihime...?"

She turned. Her mind went blank for a moment. _Him._

He was alone, for the first time she had seen, in a while. Where was Rukia? She swallowed, able to feel the presence of the arrancar close behind her. She said nothing.

"Can I... Can we talk? Outside?"

She hesitated, glancing back at Ulquiorra. He appeared... Wary. She turned and followed the orange-haired teen into the cold afternoon.

"Orihime, what are you doing with him? He's the enemy!"

She avoided his gaze. "He's not our enemy anymore. The war is over."

Ichigo was quiet for a moment – perhaps he couldn't believe that she had defended the man who had, at one point, killed him.

"Did you, uh, get my invitation?"

She raised her eyes, getting a good look at his face for the first time. There was a light-gray bruise beneath his eye where she assumed Tatsuki had punched him. "Yes." She didn't mind lying, because she knew about it anyway.

"Will you come? I mean, Rukia and I want you to be the maid of honor."

Orihime felt as if she were going to cry again. She wanted so desperately to tell him how she felt; to scream at him so he would understand and leave Rukia to be with her. She knew she could be everything for him; more than Rukia would be. She'd known him for almost half her life. She knew him better than anyone. She wanted to tell him how much she truly cared.

But he already knew. He knew, and he had chosen her. Ulquiorra's words rang in her ears. _"You deserve more than he has to offer," "It is a waste of your life chasing after something that's running from you."_

"No," she whispered. Ichigo blinked, surprised, and took a moment to reply.

"... What?"

"I'm not coming, Ichigo." She couldn't ever remember calling him anything other than Kurosaki-kun.

"What's up with you, huh?"

Something inside her snapped. "I always believed in you! I always thought you would be there for us, for me. I always loved you!" She wiped away a stray tear. "And you knew! You had to know! And you chose her?"

"... She was just a better choice, Inoue. A better fit for me."

She never would have imagined _her_ Kurosaki-kun could be so heartless, so mean. But he wasn't hers anymore. She blinked, and his body was against the brick wall of the café building. His feet were lifted a few inches off the ground. Ulquiorra's pale fingers were around his neck. She took a step back.

"Let... Me... Go!" Ichigo's hands grabbed at Ulquiorra's, trying to pry the hand away, but Ulquiorra's grip was steel.

"You will not speak to her in that manner." His voice was oddly calm, coolly contrasting with his actions and the situation. "She has always deserved better than you. You were lucky to even have the opportunity to have her as your own." Ichigo's struggles had ceased as he stared at the arrancar in what looked like a mix of disbelief and confusion. Ulquiorra leaned closer to the teen's face. "If it was not for her, the both of us would be dead. But you would have been defeated first. Don't forget, Kurosaki Ichigo, that I still retain my powers. You have nothing."

"What the fuck are you saying?"

Ulquiorra scrutinized him for a moment before murmuring a final sentence. "I pity the man who lets such an opportunity slip through his fingers." His fingers left the other man's throat and Ichigo slipped down to his feet, leaning against the wall as he gasped for air that his lungs lacked. Ulquiorra turned to her, jade eyes unreadable.

"What's going on out here?"

Tomas stood just outside the café doors, two other employees and a few customers behind him. Inoue glanced back at Ichigo, and then addressed Tomas.

"It's alright. This man was giving me trouble, and Ulquiorra took care of it."

Tomas glanced at Ulquiorra warily, and then at Ichigo, who was still leaning against the wall. "Are you alright, Orihime-san?" She nodded placidly.

"We were just going. Thank you, Tomas." She offered a small smile, and then looked at Ulquiorra. He walked around Tomas and the crowd of people, and Orihime followed. It took all of her self-control not to look back at Ichigo.


	5. Chapter 5

_Well, well, well... I'm happy with how this turned out!  
>It's much longer than previous chapters.<br>Their relationship is developing.  
>Also, Tomas is a creepy fucker.<br>Enjoy! R&R please :) _

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Mind Knows Reason, but the Heart Knows Bliss<strong>_

_**Chapter Five**_

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

* * *

><p>"Two strawberry crepes!"<p>

Shaky hands mixed hot cocoa and dropped four marshmallows into each mug, then carried them over to the table.

"Here you go," Orihime smiled, setting the cocoa down in front of the couple. "Your food will be out in just a minute!"

"You're doing well for your first day," Hitomi commented as Orihime leaned back against the counter. The two girls didn't have much to do, seeing as there was only one other person in the café besides the couple. It was late. Orihime detected the way the brunette smiled at the man across the table from her. They were obviously on a date.

"Thank you," she murmured to Hitomi.

"Has Tomas made a move yet?"

Orihime blinked, tearing her gaze away from the duo. "Huh?"

Hitomi smirked. "You don't think he chose you because of your experience, do you?"

"I don't have any experience."

"Exactly." The dark-haired girl seemed amused by Orihime's cluelessness. "Either he felt sorry for you, or wants up that pretty little skirt of yours. Or both."

Orihime felt her cheeks flush. "He doesn't seem like the type that would–"

"Oh, he is. How do you think I got hired?" She grinned. "Relax; it's really only a one-time thing. He usually doesn't come back for seconds. Although, with a body like yours..." Her sentence trailed off.

"Crepes up!"

Orihime glanced at her coworker one last time before turning to retrieve the food. She passed the brunette on the way; she was heading to the bathroom. Orihime set the crepes down on the table, and the man thanked her. She lingered.

"... You should really make a move. She likes you."

His green eyes grew wide. They reminded her of Ulquiorra's. "You think so?"

She smiled. "Yes."

* * *

><p>"Great day today, girls!"<p>

Tomas' voice boomed in the empty café as he appeared from the back room. Orihime glanced up from cleaning the table. Hitomi was gathering up her things.

"Thanks, Tomas." She smiled, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I really should be going. See you both on Friday." Shooting Orihime a suggestive gaze, she strolled out the front doors. Her gaze never left her until she was out of sight, then her eyes fell on a new figure. Ulquiorra stood outside the window, wearing the new coat that he had bought at the mall earlier that morning. Really, Orihime had seen it and convinced him it would look good. She waved her fingers and turned to grab her purse.

"Orihime-san, can I see you in my office before you leave?"

Orihime looked over her shoulder, but he had already disappeared, leaving the doors swinging in his wake. Attempting to ignore the knot forming in her stomach, she glanced out the window, holding up one finger. Ulquiorra nodded in understanding, but something looked off in his eyes. She picked up her purse and made her way through the doors.

Maybe he just wanted to go over how her first day went. Maybe he was going to praise her, or suggest she could do something to improve. She forced a smile to her face as she entered the room. Tomas was perched upon his desk, shirt untucked from his pants.

"You did well on your first day."

"Thank you," she murmured, shifting her weight.

"Would you like to tell me what Monday was all about?"

She knew he was referring to the incident outside the café, with Ichigo and Ulquiorra. "Um... That was just some guy I used to like. He's getting married and I yelled at him. Ulquiorra was just protecting me."

"Ulquiorra?"

"My friend. He's staying with me."

"Ah." He gazed at her evenly. "Are you in relations with him?"

"Excuse me...?"

"C'mon, you know! Are you two having sex?"

Orihime felt her cheeks heat up and she shook her head quickly.

"Well, he's certainly missing out, then." He took a step closer to her, and her back bumped against the wall. She realized now that she should have said she _was_ in an intimate relationship with Ulquiorra. Perhaps that would have kept Tomas at bay.

He was standing right in front of her now, effectively trapping her between him and the wall. She knew she _couldn't_ lose her job now. She had no choice.

"You know, Orihime-san," he chided, "I don't just hire anyone. You're an exception." She could feel her heart pounding beneath her breasts. "There were dozens of other applicants. But I chose you." His lips curved into a sly smirk. "Don't you think I deserve a thank you?"

Before she could muster up a reply, the door swung open. Tomas jumped back a few feet before Orihime could blink. A pair of emerald eyes fell upon her.

"Orihime, I have that appointment. We're going to be late."

She knew right away that he was lying for her sake, and she didn't argue. Before Tomas could protest, she skirted along the wall and out of the office, walking quickly through the doors and out of the café. She could hear Ulquiorra's footsteps close behind.

They walked in silence for most of the stretch back to her apartment. She was still trembling. If Ulquiorra hadn't been there; if he hadn't interrupted, she would have been... She felt sick just thinking about such a thing. It reminded her of Hueco Mundo – the way Aizen used to look at her. She had expected him to do something similar.

"Are you alright?"

She sighed, bringing herself back to the present. They were in the rougher part of town; just passing through, but she was glad to have Ulquiorra by her side. It was late and there were some shady characters meandering along the streets.

"Yes." She paused. "How did you know?"

"Intuition." His eyes remained straight ahead. "I saw something in your eyes when you looked at me. Something didn't feel right."

She let that sink in as they climbed the stairs in the apartment complex. "You didn't have to do that, you know," she murmured. She unlocked the door and let herself and Ulquiorra inside. His hands were tucked into his pockets as he brushed past her.

"I feel protective of you."

* * *

><p>"What caused this?"<p>

Orihime turned her gaze onto the arrancar beside her, eyes remaining on his face as he reached out. Reached out like he had in his final moments. This time, his cool fingers brushed the soft skin just above her collarbone.

"My father was a drunk," she murmured. "He hit me with an alcohol bottle. It broke and cut my skin."

His fingertips lingered on the pale scar. "Where is he now?"

"I don't know." Her voice was quiet, and he could tell he was bringing up memories that pained her. But she seemed willing to share them with him. "I'd say he's probably dead, with all the beer he drank. And my mother too. She was a prostitute, addicted to drugs."

Ulquiorra was quiet for a moment. "... When was the last time you saw them?"

"I was very young with my brother took me away from them. Three years old, I think. I don't even remember what they looked like."

His hand had fallen from her clavicle to rest on the couch next to her thigh. "And where is your brother now?"

The very moment the words left his mouth, Ulquiorra realized he'd made a mistake. She cringed. Something told him that touching her hand would help, so he did. It seemed to steady her and the tears never left her eyes.

"He died when I was twelve."

"Do you remember him?"

"Oh yes." She managed a smile through her tears. "He had brown hair and eyes like mine." Said eyes were distant as she recreated him in her mind. "He was tall. Protective."

Ulquiorra left her to her reveries as he contemplated his own past. Surely he had been part of a family, quite a long time ago. He had been a hollow for a very long span of time. Certainly his relatives were long lost in the dunes of Hueco Mundo, or perhaps residents of Rukongai. It was even possible that they had been killed there and reincarnated in the Living world. It was a never-ending cycle.

"Ulquiorra-kun?"

The soft voice brought him from his thoughts. "Yes, On'na?"

"Do you remember your family?"

The question caught him by surprise. The odd coincidence made it seem as though she possessed mind-reading powers. "No. Not many arrancar do. When we are reborn, we tend to lose all memories such as those. Although," he added, glancing at her, "the hollow hole of an arrancar suggests the location of the cause of our death in our human life. I was most likely stabbed, or shot, here." He brought his fingers to his sternum, touching the gap delicately.

Her eyes settled on the perfectly round hole in his upper chest, about the size of her palm. "Grimmjow-san, then, died from his stomach?"

"Something in his abdomen, yes. Harribel-san's hole was located in her lower abdomen, where her uterus would have been located. She died during childbirth."

"That's so sad..." Her eyes were slightly teary again, and Ulquiorra experienced a touch of dismay. He attempted to divert her attention away from such a gloomy subject.

"All souls die," he murmured. "But, all souls are reborn. We exist in a never-ending cycle of life."

She was quiet for a moment. "Ulquiorra-kun, why do you feel protective of me?"

"Perhaps because I am in debt to you, for saving my life." She made a face, obviously resisting the urge to protest, but Ulquiorra ignored it. "What did you say the four elements of love are, On'na?"

She bit her lip, squeezing it between her teeth, then spoke softly. "If you love someone, you want the best for them. You want them to succeed. You always want to be with them. You try to protect them and you would sacrifice anything for them." Her cheeks flushed a bit. "At least, that's what I've felt from my experience."

"I see. So, if all four of these urges were present, would that mean love was present?"

She blinked. "Well, yes, I suppose."

"I see. Well then, On'na, I suppose it would be probable to proclaim that I am in this, _love_, with you."

Orihime literally felt her heart skip alternating beats, and her face flushed. Immediately, she tried to rationalize it. "W-Well, there's a lot of other e-elements..." It couldn't possibly be as simple as he made it seem, could it?

His expression was calm, contrasting with her flustered demeanor. "As in?"

She attempted to collect herself. "U-Um, well... You never want to see them cry, you care for them, s-sometimes you like their smile. You want to spend the rest of your life with them..."

"... My statement still stands, On'na."

Orihime felt as if the world was spinning. Was such a thing even possible? She had originally thought arrancar couldn't feel emotions such as love.

"W-Well, there's still the romantic part of love..." She could feel her cheeks growing hot.

"Such as procreation? Yes, I experience that urge as well."

Embarrassed beyond belief, Orihime hid her face by looking down at her lap. "There's more to it than that," she mumbled. "There's kissing and hugging and all the cute things that couples do with each other... And m-making love i-is different..."

"I see. Then you will have to show me such things that I am unfamiliar with," he stated.

"It's getting late. I should go to bed," she said, standing quickly. Ulquiorra found himself aware of things he never noticed before, such as the arch in the small of her back and how the lace nightgown clung to the natural curves of her hips.

"I suppose I will sleep tonight too," he murmured, following her down the hallway. She spun around at the end, before her door, and looked up at him with silvery-blue eyes. "... Goodnight, Orihime."

Her eyes grew the slightest bit bigger, and she clung to the way her name fell from his tongue. "Goodnight..." And with one blink, he had disappeared into her bedroom, the door swinging closed quietly behind him.

* * *

><p>The moon was full tonight. It hung precariously in the night sky, swollen like a pumpkin, bathing a portion of her room in silvery shine. Her soft breathing was the only sound permeating the silence.<p>

She grew frustrated with her mind. She was tired. She didn't want to analyze her own feelings. She didn't want to agonize over Ulquiorra's words. She just wanted to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. But she knew her mind would not allow that to happen until she came to a conclusion that she was satisfied with.

Could love truly be as simple as Ulquiorra made it? He was coming from a completely different angle, tackling such a strong, sacred emotion like a problem on a history quiz. Running down a list, and if they all checked off, then the answer was certain. It seemed so wrong to look at it that way, but perhaps he was the only rational one in an irrational world. Perhaps she should look at it in the same way.

She racked her mind for the elements she had mentioned that he had gone off of. _Love means you want the best for that person. _Yes, she did want the best for him. She had offered to let him stay with her instead of living on the streets. _You want to be with them, always. _She was finding that to be truer with each passing day. She enjoyed his company. There was some sort of connection that she felt toward him that was difficult to put into words. _You want to protect them._ She had already proved that. She had stood up to Zaraki-taichou, protecting Ulquiorra with her life. _You would sacrifice anything for them. _Inoue wasn't sure of that. Certainly she would sacrifice her own life, so she assumed that was true as well.

She rolled over in her bed, eyelids drooping. There were other things she had mentioned too... _You never want to see them cry, you care for them, you like their smile. You want to spend the rest of your life with them. _She had never seen him cry. She certainly cared for him. She was mystified by the hint of a smile that appeared on his face every once in a while – always around her, it seemed. And, yes, she could spend the rest of her life with him.

She was scared. Kurosaki-kun was the only one she had ever thought so much about. The only one she had ever thought she could be with. Her only future. She closed her eyes. She had gone down the checklist.

She was in love.


	6. Chapter 6

_So, due to a few reviews of chapter six, I realized it's not really quality.  
>And I'm not satisfied until you guys are satisfied.<br>So, I addressed a few of the things you guys mentioned. I hope you think it's adequate now~!  
>Two more chapters and the rating will change to M... You've been warned.<br>__Enjoy everyone~! _

* * *

><p><strong><em>The Mind Knows Reason, but the Heart Knows Bliss<em>**

**_Chapter Six_**

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

* * *

><p>Since Orihime had decided she loved him, she could think of nothing else. It was as if she had turned on a faucet, allowing an assault of emotions to flood her senses. She hadn't felt so doe-eyed in a very long time, and certainly such schoolgirl swooning had always been reserved for Ichigo only. But she couldn't even focus on the page of the book in her lap; she had read the sentence four times and all she had gotten out of it was how emerald Ulquiorra's eyes were.<p>

She was alone for the first time in a while. Ulquiorra was... Actually, she wasn't sure where he was. He had been gone for almost an hour, and she was rather lonely.

After putting a lot of thought into it, she had decided to be the bigger person and go to the wedding. After all, Rukia and Ichigo were still her friends. She knew the feeling of love all too well, and she understood the feeling of falling and not being able to catch yourself. At the very least, she would make an appearance to wish them well.

Searching her kitchen, she found everything she needed. She knew Ulquiorra would find her when he was ready.

* * *

><p>The first principle of love was protection. Or, that was the first that needed attention, anyway. His mate was not safe, and Ulquiorra would not rest until that was taken care of.<p>

He followed the brunette from the coffee shop. The naïve man took a shortcut down a dark alley. Perfection. He glided down from the rooftop like a bird of the night. Tomas' eyes locked on his figure and he stumbled back. He could see him? Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed. The man had a strong spiritual pressure, then. Strange. But still, it worked to his advantage. He would appear an infinitely more intimidating now that he could be seen as well.

"W-Who the fuck are you?"

The arrancar smirked, one corner of his mouth turning up in the slightest bit. His second released form was truly causing despair. It was his purpose.

"You're Orihime's friend!" He pulled something dark from his bag. "Stay back!"

"You will leave her alo–"

The bullet had buried itself in Ulquiorra's abdomen before the earsplitting short cut his sentence short. Slight discomfort was the only emotion that reached his face. He sonido'ed mere inches from the man.

"Your weapon is useless." A whip-like tail snaked around the man's neck. The gun clattered to the concrete ground.

"Let me... Go!"

Ulquiorra observed his struggles. He did not wish to kill the human. That would cause problems for Inoue, as well as himself. Perhaps there was also a slight moral disagreement that tugged within him. "You will leave her alone," he repeated, deadpanning. "Do you understand."

"Fuck!" The tail coiled tighter, cutting off more precious oxygen. "Alright, yes! I won't touch her!"

"You will also allow her to continue her work there, as well as mention this to no one."

"Okay, okay!"

"Understand that if you fail to meet these requirements, not only do you put your own life in jeopardy, but the lives of your family and friends as well."

He dropped the man to the hard ground. He gasped for breath. "What the fuck are you, man? Some kind of comic supervillian?"

He was no longer the Cuarta Espada. That title was obsolete. "I am Ulquiorra Cifer," he murmured, turning his back. "That is all you need to know."

* * *

><p>Mixing flour into the bowl, she hummed the soft tune of a popular song. She hoped he would be back by the time the cake was ready. Dancing to the opposite counter, she mixed the beans. Cooking was one of her favorite things, but baking calmed her. She loved sweets – odd sweets, she had to admit. Red bean cake was one of the more normal things she liked to make.<p>

She had just slid the pan into the oven when she burnt her finger. Retracting her hand, she winced and closed the door, the hurried over to run cool water over the burn. It wasn't the first time it had happened, and it wouldn't be the last. A little burn didn't bring tears to her eyes.

After a few minutes, she turned the faucet off and made her way down the hall to find a band-aid in the bathroom. She glanced into her bedroom nonchalantly as she passed.

And stopped in her tracks.

Ulquiorra was slumped in the desk chair, head on the desktop, unmoving. Had he been there the whole time? Was he asleep? Something told her that his body was too distorted; too still to simply be sleeping.

Tears sprung to her eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to take the few steps forward to touch him. She was afraid to touch him; afraid that his skin would be cold, colder than usual. Pasty-white, like death. She leaned against the doorframe, tears tracing down her cheeks. He was crumpled; defeated.

"Orihime?"

The familiar voice flooded her ears, and suddenly she was crying out of relief rather than sorrow. She felt the fur of his thighs, the dagger claws that touched delicately as not to pierce her skin. He was warm and alive, and she clung to him.

"On'na, what is wrong?"

"I-I thought you were..." She trailed off, coming to realize that he was in his released form and the lifeless body in her room was his gigai. She suddenly felt foolish.

"There is no reason to be upset. I'm here."

His words were unusually comforting and gentle. It confused her. There was something wet and warm on her hand. She pulled herself back to take a look.

"Ulquiorra...! You're bleeding!"

His eyes lowered to gaze at the dark blood smeared on the top of her hand. He had forgotten about the wound when he'd sensed her despair.

"Hold still..." She pulled the hairpins from the collar of her shirt.

"On'na, that isn't necess-" The fairies were healing the small wound before he could finish his sentence. His regeneration could have taken care of it in a matter of seconds. He waited until the fairies retracted and the wound was no more.

"Would it be proper to kiss you now?"

Raising her head, she became aware of how close they truly were. His eyes were darkened green and golden, black streaks spilling down his cheeks as if he were crying. His voice was but a murmur. The expression in her eyes must have spoken for her, because his arm snaked around her waist and his lips suddenly captured hers.

* * *

><p><em>The lifeless body had fallen. Down, down, and she wasn't fast enough. Her fairies were, though, and they broke his fall, lifting him gently to the ground. He was before her, blocking her path, speaking of Ichigo's demise. <em>

_She wasn't sure if Ulquiorra's near-death had been her fault or not. Ichigo had transformed into a creature, protecting her at her wishes. All she could remember now was simply the despair. That was what Ulquiorra truly mastered. She remembered being caught between two sides. She cared so deeply for Ichigo; she couldn't bear to see him die. Yet, losing Ulquiorra was unfathomable to her as well. It was inevitable that one of them would perish. The arrancar had been stronger... In the beginning. She remembered the point when her concerned shifted from Ichigo to Ulquiorra. _

_She had loved him, even then._

* * *

><p>The way he held her was possessive. Feral. Perhaps that part of him still remained primal. Aizen-sama had not built them with the intention of procreating.<p>

"Are you frightened?"

Her eyes brightened in recognition of a previous conversation, had twice before. "Do I scare you?" She looked up into the golden-green eyes, only to see her reflection.

"I'm not afraid," she whispered.

For a second time, her heart was right in his hands.


	7. Chapter 7

_It's kind of insane to me that I'm already on chapter seven of this story!  
>It's gone by so fast! Anyway, this chapter contains the wedding scene, as well<br>as a little cliffhanger at the end. 'M' rating will most likely become relevant in  
>the next chapter! For now, enjoy!<br>Review if you would, please :) _

* * *

><p><strong><em>The Mind Knows Reason, but the Heart Knows Bliss<em>**

**_Chapter Seven_**

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

* * *

><p>The very moment Orihime caught sight of the white flowers and formal dresses, she wanted to turn and run. She felt the familiar sting behind her eyes and resisted the urge to both cry and flee. She could do this. There was nothing to be afraid of except her own emotions.<p>

"Shall I hold your hand?"

She nodded, sucking in a deep breath as cool fingers laced between hers. He was strong. Perhaps she could draw some strength from him for the time being.

The park was decorated beautifully. Jars containing white candles hung from tree branches and the tops of awnings placed above the dining table and guest booklet. Orihime simply signed her name, the words becoming blurry the longer she stared at them. Ulquiorra gently pulled her away from the crowd.

"Orihime-chan!"

She turned and was greeted by a warm, tight Tatsuki hug. "You poor thing," she murmured against her shoulder. Orihime sighed shakily and put a smile on her lips when her friend pulled back. She was eying the man beside her warily.

"Oh! Tatsuki-chan, this is Ulquiorra." The raven-haired girl promptly stuck out her hand, which he shook.

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance."

"Jeez Orihime," Tatsuki smirked. "Where'd you find this one? Finishing school?"

Orihime giggled nervously. "Have you seen them?"

"You're not going to stay for the vows, are you." Once again, her best friend had read her mind. Orihime shook her head. "Uhh... There's Rukia, over there." Orihime's gaze followed her pointing finger until her eyes fell upon Rukia.

The short girl's dark hair was up in an elegantly braided bun of sorts. Her dress was long in the back and shorter in the front; short enough that Orihime could see that she was wearing no shoes. She nearly laughed. Instead, she turned back to Ulquiorra. His expression was deliberate.

"Go," he murmured. "I'll wait here."

With a short nod and a soft smile, Orihime waved to Tatsuki and made her way through the crowd. Blue eyes saw her coming before she could approach the shinigami.

"Oh, Orihime." She appeared almost sad. "You came."

"I did." Despite all that had happened, Orihime couldn't help but feel happy for her friend. You look beautiful."

"Orihime..." Rukia wrapped her arms around the ginger-haired girl in a tight hug. She smelt like fresh lilacs.

"I'm so sorry." She pulled back to look up at her with large, apologetic azure eyes. "I really didn't mean for this to happen, not like this..."

"It's okay, Rukia." Orihime shook her head. "I don't blame you. It's alright. Don't feel bad. Today's special!"

The other smiled faintly. "Thank you for coming."

"Hey!"

A familiar red-haired shinigami appeared out of nowhere. "Renji-san...!" Orihime smiled as he stepped up beside Rukia. He sported only a white tuxedo jacket, and the tattoos across his chest were visible.

"Yo Orihime-san. Long time, no see!"

"Renji had to wear something outrageous," Rukia murmured with fake resentment. Renji laughed and punched her bare shoulder lightly.

"Couldn't let you and the strawberry hog all the spotlight, 'lil sis."

"Where is the groom, anyway? Did he run off?" Rukia joked. Renji, being taller than most around them, peered over heads.

"There he is!"

Orihime turned to Rukia. "I'm gonna go see him."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh, yeah." She smiled softly. "We're not going to stay for the reception, so I should talk to him now."

"We?"

Orihime blinked, then shook her head and hugged the girl. She didn't feel like explaining everything now. "Congratulations," she mumbled. Rukia nodded, and Orihime called a goodbye to Renji before wandering in the direction he had pointed.

Once her eyes fell upon the orange-haired man, another wave of distress – this one much stronger than previous – flooded her senses. It took every ounce of self-control she had to hold back the tears.

How many times had she envisioned this moment? How many dreams had she seen him in, like this? A crisp, black tuxedo framed his figure, complete with a white tie. His hair was still as wild as ever. How many times had she planned out such a gorgeous wedding? All the guests, the ceremony, the vows, the speeches.

But he wouldn't be waiting at the altar for her.

His chocolate eyes found her before she could turn and run, and he moved away from the crowd toward her. It was some sixth sense they both possessed, to find each other in a crowd. She could even distinguish his scent from all others.

She had to face him. She couldn't run away.

"Orihime."

She quickly wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. "Kurosaki-kun."

Strong arms came around her body. It was the most painfully pleasurable thing she had ever felt. She wanted to melt and shove him away simultaneously. She nearly faltered.

"I'm glad you came, Orihime," he murmured into her hair. He smelt of cologne and strawberries. She was so close to letting go; so close to sobbing into his chest. But something stopped her.

"I just wanted to wish you well," she said softly, pulling back from his embrace. How strong had she become? She swallowed the lump in her throat and ignored the look of puzzlement on his face. "Congratulations."

"Orihime, I hate that it had to–"

"Don't." She forced a smile. She understood now what had stopped her before. Ichigo wasn't hers to cry on; he wasn't hers at all. He had never been. "It's your wedding. Be happy. Don't worry about me."

Ichigo looked sad. She stood on her toes to lightly kiss his cheek, and then turned her back on him. She would no longer be a burden on him. Jade eyes locked on hers; anchored her. They waited patiently, as they had always been. They gave her enough strength to make it across the meadow to him, and only then did her knees give out.

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra could feel the despair coming off of the girl in waves. Although she made next to no sound, he knew she was crying steadily into the front of his shoulder, as she had been the whole way home. It was probably better that her face was hidden; they had received strange looks from bystanders. He supposed they did look rather odd; he in his formal suit and her in her ruby dress and black heels.<p>

"Ulquiorra-kun...?" Her voice was small. She sniffled.

"Yes, On'na."

"What does she have that I don't?"

He considered her inquiry. He knew she was not referring to strength, but even so, he questioned if her fairies were more powerful than the younger Kuchiki's zanpakuto. The woman in his arms was brave. Perhaps foolish at times, and blinded by love once, but she possessed a kind heart. She was certainly more tolerable than the dark-haired girl, in his opinion. And, obviously, she was more endowed than Rukia. The shinigami could nearly be mistaken for a short male; her body lacked the natural curves that Orihime possessed.

"Nothing, On'na," he murmured, tightening his hold on the crying girl's frail body. "Nothing."

* * *

><p>"Sado-kun is coming back tomorrow afternoon."<p>

Ulquiorra looked up from the newspaper in his hands. Orihime's eyes never left the batter she was mixing in the bowl. "Does that mean I cannot stay here any longer?"

"No, you can... I mean," she sighed, looking up from her cooking. "I'll just have to explain everything to him. Maybe he can move in with Ishida-kun," she mumbled, pouring the batter into the pan. "We'll figure it out."

"If I am no longer welcome here, then I will go–"

"If you go, I go," she murmured, flipping the pancake. "I don't want you to leave."

Ulquiorra allowed her words to sink in, relying more on instinct and what he had learned of humans than his rational mind. She was willing to leave her home; to leave her friend behind to stay with him. Sacrifice. A principle of love. She was willing to sacrifice something for him. He felt as if he had experienced an epiphany of sorts.

"Couldn't you join me in your bedroom?"

Orihime felt her cheeks flush, and she turned around to look at him. "You mean... Share a bed?"

"Mated couples take part in such things, do they not?"

Orihime wrinkled her nose at his choice of words. She couldn't bring herself to think badly of him for using such a primal term. He was quite animalistic, himself. He was also right. It was common for couples to sleep together in the same bed. She supposed it wouldn't be too uncomfortable.

"If that's alright with you."

His only response was a small nod.

* * *

><p>Orihime waved goodbye to Hitomi as she exited the café, joining Ulquiorra outside on the dark, cool sidewalk. She was always curious as to where he went and what he did while she was at work. He would drop her off and linger, but she didn't see him for most of the span of her shift. Then he would appear once again to pick her up and walk home with her at eleven.<p>

"How was work?"

"Good."

"How was Tomas."

Orihime shrugged. "Fine. He really hasn't bothered me since that night. He's actually been avoiding me, kind of."

"How odd."

"Yeah." She unlocked the door to the apartment. "Today was really busy."

"Perhaps you should sleep."

She set her bag down on the table. "I think I'll shower first." He nodded, and she disappeared down the hall.

After a few moments, he stood and walked down the hall as well. As he passed the bathroom, the scent of Orihime's minty vanilla soap drifted into his nose. It was a rather pleasant fragrance. He found something to wear to bed and had just pulled the shirt over his head when she appeared in the door.

Her hair was still quite wet, appearing almost a light chestnut brown as it spilt down her shoulders. A white towel was wrapped around her body, stopping at mid-thigh. Droplets of water still traced down her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her collarbone.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were in here..." She held her towel up with one hand as she grabbed a nightgown off of her dresser.

"You do not have to sleep in the other room," he murmured. Her gray-blue eyes fixed on him questioningly. "You should determine if our sleeping together will be adequate before Sado returns."

She pondered his offer for a minute, then nodded. "Alright, I'll just go change–"

"Stay."

Orihime turned back to look at him, only to find that he had covered his eyes with one hand. She giggled. "This seems familiar."

"Indeed."

She grabbed some delicates from her drawer and glanced at him again. "No peeking!"

"I am not peeking..."

She wriggled the lacy panties up her thighs and onto her hips, watching him the entire time. She trusted him, but she was still too embarrassed to even imagine such a thing. She clasped the bra behind her back and pulled the nightgown over her head.

"Alright."

He removed his hand from his eyes, drinking in her figure. Her hair was slightly tousled. She smiled shyly and crossed in front of him to climb into the bed, pulling the sheet and blanket up over her body. He, too, lay down, on top of the blanket. "Goodnight Ulquiorra," she mumbled.

"Goodnight."

* * *

><p>The night was anything but good for Ulquiorra. He could not sleep. He could not even begin to fathom sleep. The girl had rolled over in her sleep and cuddled up against the side of his body whilst he still lay on his back. His right arm was somewhat trapped against her body, and his hand had been balled into a fist for the past two hours.<p>

Wave after wave of intense longing rolled over him. His body was trembling slightly from the effort of resisting such temptations. He had never undergone such a predicament. He was not sure what was wrong with him. He felt undomesticated. Primitive, like the Sexta. He had always looked down on his counterpart; looked down in distain at the animalistic man who was concerned of only the basic needs; blood and sex. He had scoffed at such crudeness. He was more domesticated than most of the Espada. He regarded Nelliel, Harribel and himself to be the only cultivated ones in Hueco Mundo, besides Aizen-sama and Ichimaru-sama.

But now, here he lay, struggling to refrain from ravishing the female beside him. Why had he reverted to such immature instincts? He shut his eyes tightly, attempting to focus only on the steady throb of her heartbeat beside him.

* * *

><p>The slam of a door startled Orihime from her slumber. Blinking sleepily, she arched her back in a stretch.<p>

"Orihime-san...!"

Her eyes widened, drowsiness chased away by the familiarity of the voice. She sat up quickly and threw the covers off. The turned to tell Ulquiorra to get up; that Sado-kun finding them in bed together would lead him to the wrong assumption, but...

The bed was empty; devoid of the arrancar.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello everyone~  
>I'm so sorry this took so long, but I suffered a bought<br>of writer's block and my life got kind of hectic._

_Anyway, here is your smut~! Enjoy!_

* * *

><p><strong><em>The Mind Knows Reason, <em>_but the Heart Knows Bliss_**

**_Chapter Eight_**

_Written by Illuminate the Shadows_

* * *

><p>Birds chirped in the branches of the sakura tree outside the open window. Sunlight filtered in through the thin curtains, falling over a softly snoring figure.<p>

The serenity was interrupted by the chime of a doorbell. Sitting up sleepily, the man stretched and yawned. Scratching his messy blonde hair, he stood and shuffled to the front door of the shop. He opened it, and was promptly startled awake.

A moment of silence, then; "And to what do I owe this... Pleasure?"

"I'd like to discuss a certain matter with you."

"Then, by all means, come in!" Urahara opened the door wider to allow the man to enter, and then shut it behind him. "The last remaining Espada. The Cuarta, right? Ulquiorra Cifer?"

"Indeed." He turned around, fixing the former shinigami with an emerald gaze. "I was hoping you could be of assistance. But, there are some things you need to understand first."

"Well, why don't you tell me over a cup of tea?"

Ulquiorra blinked slowly. "Tea sounds... Pleasant."

* * *

><p>"So, you see, he's staying with me-... Us."<p>

Chad gazed at her with his one visible chocolate eye, the other hid by his lengthening wavy hair. He shrugged his wide shoulders. "I don't know, Orihime-san. What if he is still dangerous?"

Orihime looked down at her lap, smiling faintly. "He's not, Sado-kun. He protects me."

His voice was a low murmur. "... I trust you, Orihime-san. If you think he's on our side, then I believe you." He shifted in his seat. "Besides, if he wanted to hurt you or abduct you again, he would have done it before I returned, when you were unprotected."

"But I am protected," she said softly, still smiling the faintest bit.

"I understand. So, tell me about your job."

"Oh, the little café is so cute," Orihime beamed. "We make mostly pastels and tea and hot cocoa. Of course, I don't do any of the baking... Not yet! I'm just a waitress." She smoothed her skirt. "It really is nice. The girl who works in my shift is nice too."

"That's good to hear." He stood and made his way to the kitchen, getting himself a glass of water. "Orihime-san, where is Ulquiorra-san going to sleep?"

Orihime hesitated, and then raised her gaze to him. "... My room."

Chad's eyes immediately snapped up to meet hers. "... You can't be serious. Orihime-san..."

"I know, I know, Sado-kun. Please don't lecture me..." She looked down at her floral skirt again, seizing her bottom lip between her teeth. "I know I'm making the right choice. My heart says so."

"But... Kurosaki?"

"... Kurosaki-kun is with Rukia-san now," she said softly, avoiding his gaze. "Ulquiorra helped me realize that he will never feel for me what I feel for him. I think it's good that I've moved on, Sado-kun."

"I... Suppose so." He frowned slightly.

* * *

><p>"It's really quite simple."<p>

Emerald eyes were fixed on the blonde man. "You're saying that I am courting her?"

Urahara took a small sip of tea, and then set his cup down on the table lightly. "I'm saying you're an animal. You have animal characteristics; basic instincts. It's nothing against you; it's the way Aizen created your kind. You've taken Orihime-san as your mate. She is a young female of ideal breeding age, and your instincts are only telling you what they would do naturally."

Ulquiorra was gazing down at his untouched cup of tea. Urahara thought he could detect a hint of worry in those jade depths. "... What of this gigai? Is it possible to perform such actions while occupying it?"

Urahara tilted his head. "Hmm, good question. Yes, I suppose you could. The body, however false it is, still has all the same functions as a human body. But, it represses your reiatsu, which usually plays a crucial part in intimacy... Although, that is between two shinigami. I've researched hollows enough to know their reiatsu links for a brief second during mating as well. My studies have never stretched to the prospect of hollow and human."

"I understand." Ulquiorra met the man's gaze once again, seeming to chase away all concern and uncertainty. "If I fulfill my basic needs, will such urges cease?"

"I'd think so. The part which is animalistic within you simply wants to claim her as yours. Of course, domesticated humans do that in a different way... Sex isn't always the seal, marriage usually is. But, to that part of you, 'mating' with her is the deal-sealer."

The arrancar nodded. "Thank you. Could I, perhaps, leave my gigai here and retrieve it tomorrow?"

"Of course. I'll take care of it."

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra was very aware of how the younger human society viewed sex. He knew that the girl would be surprised. Perhaps she would even be frightened. She claimed she wasn't afraid of him. But would she be frightened of him, in a stage of Segunda Etapa, where he could rip her limb from limb? In such a Resurreccion, he could quite possibly overwhelm her with his reiatsu and smother her. He realized he would have to conceal most of his spiritual pressure as to not make her uncomfortable, not to mention destroy the whole city around them. When Aizen had been in power, he hadn't allowed any of the first four Espada to release their zanpakuto within Hueco Mundo, for fear it would obliterate the place. With his Segunda Etapa, Ulquiorra knew he would have to be careful.<p>

It was a pleasant change to walk down the sidewalk and not receive a single odd glance. None of these people could see him without a gigai. He made his way back to Orihime's apartment and knocked on the door lightly with his knuckles.

The door swung open, and he was greeted with two wide aqua eyes.

"... Ulquiorra-kun!"

Her scent washed over him as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging her body to his. Instinctively, his right arm came around her lean waist. She smelt like vanilla, as did the room behind the open door. She was baking something.

"You just missed Sado-kun. He went to visit Ichigo..." She attempted to pull back, but his arm held her tight. Puzzled, she tilted her head back to look up at him.

Could this person; this woman, be a reason for him to continue to exist? His arm left her waist as he cupped her face with pale hands. Her ginger hair fell around her face. She had changed a great deal since they first met. As had he. Still, they retained some sort of understanding; some type of connection that he could not explain with words. A connection that he disregarded at first, when his loyalties had lie opposite hers. But now, she was all he had of his past. Aizen was gone. All other Espada dead. Hueco Mundo destroyed. Everything he had come to know had disappeared. _Except her._

She knew the glazed expression in his eyes well. He was deep in thought. She remained still in his grip, her face lit by the soft glow of the lantern beside her apartment door. His reiatsu was different, she noted. He wasn't in his gigai anymore. How funny, she thought, she would look to someone passing by who could not see Ulquiorra.

She watched intelligence flood his eyes, and that thousand-yard stare became focused on her once more. "I do not understand how you are able to tolerate me after all that occurred." His voice was a low murmur, almost husky.

Her eyes were on his nose. She suddenly felt a bit shy. "I guess sometimes love works in funny ways."

"... Love?"

His voice held a tone of wonder that turned the corners of her lips slightly upwards. "Yes. Love..."

He could not explain the elation that followed her words. He was becoming more human that he was comfortable with. He recognized it as something he would have to accept, in time. Such emotions were foreign to him. He would have to stop analyzing each and every spark of feeling, or else go insane. He wasn't sure how humans dealt with such irrationality.

"Sado left, you said?" he murmured as she moved inside. He followed and she closed the door.

"Just a few minutes ago, you just missed him... I told him."

"How did he take it?"

"He was... Well, he trusts me. So he was okay with it. I think." She seemed troubled. Ulquiorra didn't like it.

"How long will he be with Kurosaki?"

"Oh I don't know," she said softly, moving into the kitchen to open the oven slightly, looking inside. "An hour, maybe two."

The muffins were rising nicely. She shut the oven, its warmth ceasing to radiate upon her face, and turned around. A soft squeak fell from her lips as she bumped into Ulquiorra, who was standing just inches behind her. She giggled, placing her hands on his abdomen. "Ulquiorra-kun, don't scare me like that..."

Her smile was chased away the moment she looked up into his eyes. There was something else there – something that wasn't amused. Something more intense. It nearly frightened her. She wasn't afraid of him, though, she reminded herself. She blinked slowly, eyes flitting to his hand as it rose to brush a stray strand of hair from her face.

He struggled between being blunt with her and simply going with the flow of things. If she knew his condition, would she be more willing to comply? Or would that just ruin the atmosphere that was being created? He truly didn't enjoy such indecisiveness. Analyzing the look in her eyes, he believed she would be willing. Because she loved him.

His hand traced down the outline of her body, fingers absorbing the pattern of the lace that separated their skin. He yearned to touch her directly; somehow he knew her skin would be soft, like satin, and flawless. His fingertips played lightly along the curve just below her breast, and they followed the outward curve to her hip. She had certainly grown since their first encounter. True, her body had been well-developed then as well. But then, she had only been a young girl in a woman's body. Now she had grown into that shell. She _was_ that woman.

She had always found herself very shy when it came to intimacy. Even when she imagined such things with Ichigo – the man whom she was once zealously in love with – her face would flush and she would become terribly embarrassed. Because of this awkwardness, she had barely taken the time to explore her own body. But now, with the small of her back pressed against the counter and his lean frame pressed flush against hers, she felt more excitement than shame. It was different with him. _She _was different with him.

"Are you afraid?" he murmured. His face was buried in the junction between her shoulder and neck. A small shudder rippled up her spine, causing her hand to tighten around the fabric that covered his abdomen.

"N-No."

"Do you trust me?"

"... Yes."

She was all too aware of his wandering hand tracing down to the lacy hem of her nightgown. The fabric slid across her milky thighs effortlessly, as did his hands as short nails trailed up soft skin. His lips, soft and cool, pressed gently to her neck, trailing up to her jaw before capturing her lips with his own. She was so concentrated on his tongue tracing along her bottom lip that she didn't even notice his hand creeping further up her thigh until his fingertips brushed the smoothly-shaven skin. The kiss was interrupted temporarily as she gasped, lips parted. His touch, although cool, burnt her like fire, igniting a passion within her that she didn't know existed. She needed him closer.

As she pulled him closer by the collar of his shirt, he wasted no time in nudging her panties aside with his fingertips. A soft rush of breath escaped his lips at the scent of her obvious arousal. He had barely touched her, and she already seemed nearly ready for him. He didn't want to keep either of them waiting.

A sharp intake of breath followed the insertion of his finger. She was slightly taken aback by his impatience, yet it also stirred that animal within her. Her hand became fisted in the white sleeve of his button-up as another finger joined the first. It felt oddly good, and although she was completely new to such an experience, she found herself wanting more. Fortunately, she needn't say a thing. The connection that the pair possessed aided her in even this situation.

He could tell what she wanted by the look in her eyes. They spoke just as plainly to him, just as if she had spoken the words with her lips. His hands came around her body to grip her thighs, lifting her off the counter. Effortlessly, she thought, despite the leanness of his figure. Although, she had already known he was quite exceptionally strong. She crossed her ankles behind the small of his back, arms coming around his neck as he carried her out of the kitchen. Only when she felt the hardness against her inner thigh did nervousness bubble up inside her. Her breath caught in her throat as he sat upon the couch with her in his lap. He recognized the anxiety immediately.

"Do you still trust me?"

She hesitated in her answer, producing a new feeling of apprehension that he had never experienced before. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to him, she raised those silvery-aqua eyes to his face.

"... _Yes_."

His fingertips tucked her ginger hair behind her ear before he kissed her cheek lightly. "Relax." His voice was but a whisper against her skin as he adjusted his position beneath her. The animal within her stirred again, and she wanted him _inside of her._

Words couldn't describe her reaction when she felt his tip press into her. Her tongue became trapped between her teeth. Her body felt flushed; burning hot, yet his touch was contrastingly cool. It was passion. It was desire. It was wanting and longing and yearning. He was the frigid night and she was a hot summer's day. The balanced each other.

She was wet – deliciously so, and snug and warm. If his mind hadn't been compromised, he would have scolded himself for such thoughts. But his instincts seemed to have taken over, and all sense and rationality that he had worked hard to maintain during his years as a hollow had flown out the window. He was nothing but pure animal now. Feral. And his instincts were urging him to make her completely his.

He moved his hips and she twitched at the slight twinge of pain. She was not surprised – she had expected it to hurt more than it did now. She shuddered as he rocked his hips up into her, his tip buried somewhere deep within her. There was nothing but pure lust in his emerald eyes.

He couldn't bear the torture anymore. Laying her back on the cushion of the couch, he pushed into her impatiently. Her hand fisted in the blanket draped over the back of the couch, back arching to accommodate him. She hadn't anticipated it to be like this. She had always pictured herself as shy, covering herself, fearful of revealing her body to someone else. But intuition had taken over, and she felt no need to hide herself from him. He stayed upright, cool fingers gripping her milky thighs as his eyes swept greedily over her exposed skin. Her breasts bounced slightly with each thrust into her willing body. Her cheeks were flushed delicately.

Eventually, he leaned down to allow himself more leverage, and as he thrust deeper and harder, she clung to him. Her nails clawed at his lean shoulders and back, and he groaned at the animalistic act. She muffled the involuntary noises spilling from her lips with his shoulder, arching her spine as she tried to get more of him.

The thought of maneuvering into a different position crossed his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the warmth of her body, even for only a few seconds. She writhed beneath him, nails digging into his shoulder blades, only further aggravating his desire. He felt as if he was nearing his peak.

Then, he did something she didn't expect him to do. Holding himself up with one arm, he leaned back to capture her lips with his own, slowing his pace simultaneously. She whimpered at the loss of friction, reciprocating the passion of his kiss. She didn't want to be anywhere else, with anyone else. Just him. Just them.

His lips left hers to press against her temple. One sharp thrust emitted a shrill moan, and he resumed his fast pace. Fervently, he moved harder; faster. Her lips parted, brushing his neck just below his ear, and he receiving the warning of her nails nearly breaking his steely skin before he felt her contract around him. The additional tightness drove him over the edge, and a final groan spilt from his lips as he finished within her.

The afterglow washed over her like a warm, fuzzy blanket. Spent, she allowed her eyelids to droop for a moment. She winced slightly as he left her body, and wished they could have stayed that way. When she opened her eyes again, he was holding his weight above her, watching her. She was dumfounded as to how he wasn't exhausted. Her legs felt useless.

"S-Sado-kun will be home soon..."

"I see. We should move from this couch, then."

"I don't think I can walk..."

"Shall I carry you?"

She smiled lazily. "Can we take a shower?"

He pushed himself up from the couch, still stark naked. She stifled a giggle as he slipped one arm under her legs and picked her up.

"As you wish, On'na."


End file.
